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LONG DISTANCE SWIMMING: WHY GOING LONG AND SLOW IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH
The idea of swimming further than you are used to can feel intimidating. Yet long distance swimming is one of the best ways to build not just stamina in the water, but a foundation for lifelong health and wellbeing.
So, what exactly counts as ‘long distance’? In pool terms, anything above 800m is generally classed as distance swimming. Open water swimmers often see 5km or more as an endurance event, with marathon swims like the English Channel remaining iconic goals. But the real magic of long-distance swimming lies less in the number and more in the time spent moving at a steady, sustainable pace.